Piston-ring mounting and removing tool



Nov. 13, 1928.

F. MILLER PISTON RING MOUNTING AND REMOVING TOOL Filed Jan. 24, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I 717/? for Tran/Y M! Z Pr I Nov. 13, 1928. 1,691,161

. F. MILLER PISTON RING MOUNTING AND REMOVING TOOL Filed Jan. 24, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ivl/Pnfvr 1 1 021) 17117102.-

Patented Nov. 13, 1928.

PATENT OFFICE. 1

FRANK MILLER, DE LOS ANGELES, o nIronNIA.

Prs'ron-nme MOUNTING AND REMOVING rooL.

Application filed January 24, 1927. Serial No. 163,096.

This invention relates to improvements in piston ring mounting and removing tools.

Among the ob ects of my invention is to provide a tool, of simple, durable and in 5 expensive construct1on,1n which ring spread-- ing means are combined with ring zholding means so that a ring may be spread to a diametrical dimension greater than-the piston diameter and so held and moved relative to the piston for either mounting or removing the ring in or from a ring-groove of the piston.

A further object is to provide a tool of the recited character with adjustable parts whereby it may be adapted to rings oi varying diametrical and sectional dimensions.

A further object is to provide a tool, as characterized, with adjustable expansion limitingmeans in order to avoid possibility of ring breakage. V

A further object is to provide a tool as characterized, whose ring spreading means are wholly and continuously visible during 7 both ring removing and ring mounting operations.

A further object is to provide a tool for spreading piston rings whose ring-end engaging parts are designed to function regardless of the shaping of the ring-ends.

And a still further object is to construct all of the several parts of the tool as diestampings or screw-machine products and complementary or inter-changeable to the end that cost production is minimized and the tool made ready repairably, as by replacement of parts. r

My 'mprovements consist in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts as hereinafter fully, clearly and concisel'y described, definitely pointed out in my claims and illustrated by the accompanying drawings (2 sheets) in which- Fig. l, is a view of thetool showing it in its normal closed position and illustr-ating'the manner of initially engaging'it with a piston ring. I

Fig. 2, is a plan view showing the tool in an open position and illustratingthe manner of expanding a piston ring.

Fig. 3, is a view in elevation of the jaw end of the tool showing the jaws in their closed position. v I

Fig. 4, is a wow 111 elevation of the aw standard widths of piston rings.

end of the tool showing the jaws in their open position.- j r Fig-5, is an edge view of the tool.

Fig. '6, is an edge view of one of the jaws showing the jaw as adjusted forengagement with a wide piston ring.

Fig. 7, is a similar View showing the'jaw as adjusted for engagement with a narrow piston rin x i Fig. 8, is a view in section and elevation of one of the jaw members as seen on the line 88 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9, is, a perspective view of a demountable spacing element' for facilitating adjustment of the jaws for engaging piston rings, to be made in various sizes in accordance with Fig. 10, is a view in section and elevation as seen on the 1ine10 1O of Fig. 1, illustrating the manner in which the tool is employed in engaging. the split portion of a piston ring having stepped ends.

Fig. ll,-is a similar view showing the manner in which the tool is engaged with the split portionof a piston ring having beveled or inclined ends. V

Fig. 12, is a diagram illustrating the mannerv of initially inserting the jaws'of the tool between the'ends of a piston ring.

Referring more specifically to the drawings A and B designate opposed,blade-like jaws relatedfor movements and held together as by a pivot-pin 15, and to which are connected handles 16 and 17 for their operation;

At their forward ends the jaws are reduced in their width dimensions, as at 18 and as shown best in Fig. 2, whereby to permittheir introduction between the ends 19 and 20 of'a piston ring which ring-ends are normally spaced by inherent ring expansion when released as upon withdrawal. from a cylinder and as best shown in Fig. 12. At the extremities of the reduced jaw-ends there are thebeaks, hooks, or ring-end engaging devices, 21. Along the lower inner'margin of the jaw A andthe upper inner margin of the jaw 13 are formed the vertical flanges 22and 23, respectively, which constitute supports for piston-ring gripping and handling devices, as will be later described.

Each jaw A and'B further comprises a stop 24 on the jaw A and a stop 25 on the jaw B, formed as marginal extensions, opposite tothe position shown'in Fig. 1.

simple integral stems, or tails,

The handles are sectionally shaped to provide ready and comfortable grasping by an operator, and each carries an car 26 and each has formed thereina perforation 27.

The jaws and handles with the just described elements, are formed as units and preferably as die-stampings and by still turther preference of cold rolled sheet steeljot approximately 16 gauge, and both jaws with their handles and the other recited parts are identical, to the end that a single stamped piece will serve as either aw A 01:13. 1

1 The piston-ring gripping andhandling 28 formed as a leaf and for extension laterally from and in planes above, or below, the recited beaks, or'ring-c-nd engagingdevices, 21, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 5, and has a base flange 29 for securement to a flange; (22- .or23) of the jaws. 1 I

In order to provide for adjustment of the bearing lengthwise relativeto the jaw, I proide a bolt and .slot connection as at 30, the slot by preference beingtormed in'the flange of the jaw as shown. I r I Carried by each bearing 28 is a threaded stem 31, on each of which is carried a pair of 1 disc-shaped internally threaded elements 32 which constitute the referredto piston-ring gripping and handling devices. I

By reason ofthe threaded relation the ring handling elements of each pair may be relatively adjustably spaced for adaptation to piston rings of ditlerent thicknesses, or vertical dimensions, and in order to provide for fixing therecited verticalspacing of the ring handling elements whereby the tools may be set for repeated. operations on a given size piston ring,,1 employ an adapter 33, of openseam sleeveshape which is mounted between eachpair of ring gripping devices 32, about the stems 81 and the gripping devices screwed tightly. thereagainst. Means such as the 3% are provided to aid in handling, the adaptors;

Threaded stem 31, the gripping elements .32,

and the adapter 33 combine to form a'ring holding device which is adapted to be loclred in the adjustedposition. I

The means referred to for limiting the ex tent of opening the jaws A and B, comprises the recited integral ears 26 26 on the handles 16 and 17, one of which, is internally threaded and provides supportitor a screw and the other of which, lying in the path of movement of the end of the screw'serves as a stop. Obviously by an adjustment of the screw the extent of jaw separation may be adjustably fixed for piston rings ot-varyi'ng diameters and characters. I r

To" provide for more facile operation the handles are normally held to open position de-' vices, referred to, each consists of abearinc' I and to this end, i provide a spring 36 secured as by rivets in the referred to perforations 27 of the handles.

The adaptors 84:, I contemplate furnishing in sets, of which each set consists of nninberot pieces of different height dimensions corresponding with different height dimension of piston rings to be operated upon.

I The operation of removing a piston ring, assuming the piston to be removed from a cylinder, consists in firstmoving the piston ring, manually, to eccentric position relative to tl e piston so that its spaced ends will be extended outside or" the ring grooveand beyond the outer taceofthe piston, as shown in Fig. 1. T he tool isthen applied with its ring holding neans, the discs 32, placed astride the ring and the ring spreading means, the beaks 21, inserted between the ends of the ring.

Thehandles 16 and17 are then brought together, or toward each other, and the beaks 21' separated relatively whereby the ring ends are spacedand the ring, asa whole, 'diametrically increased to a dimension greater than the-piston diameter whereby the ring may be bodily removed from the piston.

Themonnting of a ring is the same operation asjthe just described removing operation only in a reverse order.

I claim: I

1. A tool of the class described comprising ring holding means consisting of relatively adjustable elements for adaptation to rings of diiierent thickness, and adapted to be locked in the adjusted position, and means for spreading the ring endsfand securing the spread ends in the ring holding means.

' 2. A-toolot the class described comprising ring holding means, means for spreading the ring ends and securing them in the holding means, means for relatively, adjusting the holding andspreading means for adaptation to rings of different diametrical dimensions, and means for locking said holding means in the adjusted position.

3. A tool otthe class described comprising ringhol'ding means, means for spreading the ring ends, means for adjusting the tool for adaptation to rings of different diametrical dimensions, and means foradjusting the tool for ings of different thickness.

4. A tool of the class described comprising ring holding means consisting of relatively adjustable elements spaced for straddling a ring, a removable and replaceable element for determining the spacing of said ring hold llt) ing elements, and pivotallyrelated jaws for opposed movements against the ends of a mg. I j

5. A tool ot the class described comprising in combination a pair of jaws, pivotally related for opposed movements and having beaks at their free ends for insertion between and surrounding the ends of a piston ring, a threaded stemcarried each jaw, and a pair of elements screwing onto said stem to engage opposite sides of arlng.

6. In a tool of the class described a unit,

constructed of sheet metal and comprising a jaw, a ring end engaging device on the face of said jaw, a handle, a stop element for a handle motion limiting means, a support for a ring holding device, and a ring holding device on said support adapted to engage opposite sides of a ring.

7. A tool of the class described comprising in combination a pair of jaws pivotally con nected for opposed movement and having teeth at their free'end'ior insertion between and surrounding the ends of a piston ring, oppositely projecting marginal flanges on each of said jaws, and means adjustably supported on said flanges for engagement with opposite sides of a ring. 7 I p In testimony. whereof, I have afiixed by signature. 1

FRANK MILLER. 

